23 Days In July: Inside Lance Armstrong's Record-breaking Tour De France Victory [Hardcover]

John Wilcockson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 26, 2004

In July 2004, Lance Armstrong will attempt to achieve what no other cyclist has ever done-win a sixth Tour de France. The most grueling athletic event in the world, the Tour de France takes place over 23 days every July across more than 2,000 miles. From punishing mountainous terrain to flat blacktop, cyclists push their bodies to the limit to win the greatest prize in cycling.John Wilcockson is the perfect writer to tell this story-he has covered the Tour de France for the past 35 years. But 23 Days in July will be more than just a day-by-day account of the race. Wilcockson will bring together engaging nuggets of history, set up each day's race with vivid descriptions of the geography, and highlight the mental as well as the physical battle among the four principal contenders-Lance Armstrong, Tyler Hamilton, Jan Ullrich, and Joseba Beloki-with whom he will be in constant contact. Woven into the narrative will be their compelling personal stories, their preparations for the race, and their training regimens, all giving new insight into the human side of the Tour de France.With two 8-page photo inserts by the world's premier cycling photographer, Graham Watson, and featuring interviews with the Tour's only other five-time winners still alive-Belgian Eddy Merckx, Frenchman Bernard Hinault, and Spaniard Miguel Induráin-23 Days in July will capture the rich history, nationalistic fervor, and diverse geographic challenges of the most dramatic athletic event in the world.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Armstrong's record sixth Tour de France victory didn't cause much of a stir in the U.S., but Wilcockson's account shows why the "Tour has always fascinated writers," even if it hasn't always captured the attention of Americans. The author, whose work has appeared in the New York Times, draws on conversations with Armstrong, his race team and his challengers before, during and after the race for an intimate glimpse of this particular world's friendships, rivalries and scandals. The resulting portrait of Armstrong, from his recovery from cancer to his exhausting training methods, unmatched physical strength and mental toughness, is that of a newly single dad, with no memories of his own father, and a sporting "legend." The book's structure, with its day-by-day account of the Tour, allows readers to appreciate what an arduous undertaking the race is. As the race revisits stages and locations from previous Tours, Wilcockson smartly looks back at some of the Tour's great moments and explores how it has changed because of its recent "Lance-ification." While Wilcockson mostly celebrates Armstrong and the Tour, he doesn't shy away from the doping scandals and accusations that have haunted both Armstrong and the race over the years, and he does give Armstrong a chance to answer his critics. A thorough appendix further explaining cycling's subtle intricacies ends this well-crafted book. Map, photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"A read that diehard fans will devour before sharing with friends and family." -- VeloNews 12/27/04

"A revealing look in words and pictures." -- Sportsology.net 11/29/04

"An entertaining daily account of the race-20 stages and 2107 miles of madness and magic." -- Sports Illustrated 1/17/05

"Filled with expert detail and rich with history, Wilcockson knows the Tour as well as any journalist alive." -- ESPN.com 12/21/04

"Wilcockson's vivid prose [is] a kind of travelogue for the lovely country traversed by the world's top cyclists every summer." -- Boulder Daily Camera 10/24/04

Named a "Best Book of 2004" -- ESPN.com "Page 2"

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press (October 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306814013
• ISBN-13: 978-0306814013
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,154,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great tale, and then some, January 18, 2005

By 

Andrew Kent (Westborough, MA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: 23 Days In July: Inside Lance Armstrong's Record-breaking Tour De France Victory (Hardcover)

I was expecting a blow-by-blow account of the 2004 Tour, and that's certainly in here, but there is much more here, as well. The behind-the-scenes stuff, the elaboration around major recent cycling events, the history seamlessly interweaving into the present, and the profiles of riders both famous and obscure combine to place this book at the HC level of cycling journalism. Wilcockson deserves a lot of credit for getting out something this good so quickly after the event. In book publishing, that's tough. Because he's reaching for a broad audience, there is a sentence here and there explaining things that most cyclists know. No problem. It's a great book. If you're a cycling fan, get it.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Time Of Your Life, January 14, 2005

By 

prisrob "pris," (New England USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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This review is from: 23 Days In July: Inside Lance Armstrong's Record-breaking Tour De France Victory (Hardcover)

Lance Armstrong won his sixth Tour de France in "23 Days in July". John Wilcockson, well known cycle sports writer has given us the story of these days. Drawn up in yellow, red and purples, the colors of the Alps and Pyrenees. We are allowed a visit into the most famous cycle race in the world Le Tour De France.

John Wilcockson has written a masterly tale of life on the road, so to speak, of five of the most competitive cyclists in the business. There is Lance Armstrong, the American with the story of testicular cancer who becomes obsessed with cycling and goes on to win six yellow jerseys of the Le Tour. He overcomes all he needs to in his life to make this win. Jan Ulrich, the German, who has the best chance of anyone to overcome Armstrong and win Le Tour. Ivan Basso, who proves that He has what it takes and is the man to watch in the future. Tyler Hamilton, the young American, who is one of the better cyclists from the States- he has a young team, but he has a chance to win. And, Iban Mayo, who reaches out to try and make this Tour his to lose. These are the stories of the men and women and the people who make the race. There are interviews with Chris Carmichael, Lance Armstrong's coach, and the man who builds winners. An interview with the tour director, Jean-Marie Leblanc, who brings understanding to the role of the French. We feel the majesty of the Alps, the sameness of some of the hotels, the day to day crunching and moving on and the excitement of those days of Le Tour. The doping scandal is addressed and it is not glossed over. John Wilcockson takes to task everyone who has a questionable reputation. The pre-cycle preparation and the lives and loves of those who participate. I thought I had a fairly good knowledge of the Le Tour, but I really felt I have come to know the lives of those who participated in the tour by reading this book.

John Wilcockson has been writing about cycle life for over thirty years. He has written several books about cycling. He goes to the head of the class with this book. Highly recommended. prisrob

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not bad, not great., March 24, 2006

By 

Modicum of Penache (Ca.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 23 Days In July: Inside Lance Armstrong's Record-breaking Tour De France Victory (Hardcover)

My review of 23 Days... would probably be more favorable had I not read Lance Armstrong's War first...well, maybe not. While 23 Days... doesn't bore there is most definately something lacking, something a little annoying. It becomes apparent early on that the author likes to tell his story in a particular way, and it's a little annoying. He'll start by telling the happenings of a particular stage in a first person narrative telling what the atmosphere was like, how the racers were feeling and how the stage progressed through most of the day. Then, at the penultimate point of a stage, instead of saying "Basso did this and Armstrong did that,"-in keeping with a first person perspective-, he speedily sums up the stage by saying "in the end Armstrong won, like the true champion he is", as he switches to a third person POV like you would if you were retelling the days stage to your buddy at work.
This way of telling the story is a let down. And even now, just 24 hours after finishing the book there is nothing that stands out in my mind as being special or remarkable. Let's put it this way: there is nothing in this book that would make me recommend it to anyone. Lance Armstrong's War, which covers the same race and a whole lot more, is much more in depth and a much more engaging read.